Treasures and Trophies
by Oppressed
Summary: He thought of her as a trophy, something humanly beautiful. But she was not human. She was more. An AU of ‘Only Human'.
1. Chapter 1

He thought of her as a trophy, something humanly beautiful. But she was not human. She was more. An AU of 'The Sum of His Parts'.  
  
This is just a teaser to see if anyone would be interested in this ficlet.  
  
She banged fruitlessly on the golden orb that held them all captives, though in separate containers. They were hoisted on some sort of mechanical platform. Nothing seemed to work to free herself though. She could not remain as calm as Raven, who silently meditated, sometimes remarking on the stupidity of their activities to free themselves, nor could she remain as brash as Beastboy, who seemed to possess limitless energy, until the changing and butting of his head against the container's walls took it's toll, and he started to repeat himself. Of course, Raven had a wry remark for that. Robin simply sat, and thought, but she did notice that the masked teenager did talk to the one known as 'Mechanic' for a Bit whenever he came over. But she took no notice at the words.  
  
Eyes glowing a fiery emerald in rage at being boxed, the Tamaranian flung vivid green starbolts one after the other at the sickly yellow orb that held her prisoner. Her arms grew weary from hurling the dangerous things at the walls, which seemed to take no notice, and rather simply absorbed it. "Atlas's the best there is. You humans have no chance against him." The faithful sidekick of the villain was saying. Starfire, the one who was easily the most emotional of the Titans, turned on the foolish man.  
  
"I am not human." She said angrily, as her eyes refused to resume their normal disposition. The mechanic glanced at her in mild annoyance and curiosity, but Atlas heard. He got up from the large chair he had been occupying, playing online games of battle ever since he had defeated the half-robotic Cyborg. He glared at the mechanic for a Bit, obviously considering whether or not to send him from the room in annoyance. He finally flung his hand back, catching the human in the chest, and sending him spiraling backwards, hovering over the ground with the small boosters on his back.  
  
The human stared madly at the Titans, then slowly settled down. 'No one tells the master what to do.' He thought, slightly in hostility. He watched as the yellow mechanical thing looked interestedly at the girl.  
  
"You are no more than a carbon-based human, girl." He said, with a hint of threat in his voice. Starfire, oblivious to Robin's shake of the head, and Raven's concerned and frustrated look glared back at this thing that presumed to tell her that she was human.  
  
"I am from the planet Tamaran, where no human has ever set foot." She pointed at him angrily through the bubble. "You should be shamed to hold us captive, after Cyborg agreed to fight with you. He lost honorably, and yet you refused to honor your own promise!" She accusingly. "Release us at once!"  
  
The robot glared harshly at her. "No human tells Atlas what to do." He turned away, but Starfire thought of something, and pondered it aloud.  
  
"If you are not human, then why are you shaped like so? If I am not mistaken, that is a human male's form, without the weapons of destruction.  
  
As if his circuits had been hijacked, Atlas turned in fury. "You dare speak so to your holder?!" He bellowed at her. She stared at him quite calmly, her eyes now under control, and her hands not glowing a green color.  
  
"Of course!" she responded, her voice showing the rage her face did not. Robin was smiling a bit, Beastboy was staring in consternation, and Raven looked impassive. But Atlas was livid, and turned on her angrily. Then, without warning, he left the room, pushing aside tossed away jugs of oil. He saw the Mechanic staring, and thrust him forward. "Mechanic!" he yelled in his imperious voice. "Come."  
  
And away the two went, leaving the four prisoners in mixed confusion, hope, and anger.  
  
Please tell me if I should continue, Thank you for taking the time to read. 


	2. Chapter 2

Trophies and Treasures.  
Chapter Two  
  
"How could I have lost?" Were the words running through the defeated Cyborg's head. He had wandered aimlessly back to the tower after Atlas had gone and taken his friends. He found that it was impossible to concentrate in the Tower, however. The place was stonily and forbiddingly silent, absent was the glad cries of Starfire when she had created a note-worthy dish. At the reminder of the friend he would never see, he stared dejectedly at the floor. "They were counting on me." He said slowly, then stared at the little monitor that displayed his power usage. "I gave one hundred percent, and it wasn't enough."  
  
A ghost of Cyborg glared at himself. "So you're just going to sit here and do nothing, while that creep takes it out on your friends?! C'mon man, I thought you were better than that!"  
  
"I was. Now, I'm only half robot." Cyborg responded morosely. "But you're half human too. And that's the part you need to beat him with." The other Cyborg said, reasonably and calmly to the depressed Titan. Cyborg glanced at his alter-ego, then nodded silently, thinking slowly. "I have to try again, and this time, I'll give it more." He said, slightly in awe of himself. Just because he was only half-human doesn't mean that he was going to let some robot make mincemeat out of his friends. 'This is for them.' He thought steadily, then went to recharge his batteries and do some needed repairs.  
  
Robin had been silently staring at his comrades since the robot had left. He knew that the robot had no code of honor, but had been surprised and a little scared when the thing had said that they would be kept. He also knew that the Titans weren't one for cages, Starfire especially. She was a free thing, but kept in a cage for too long, and her emotions might become too much for her. He thought silently, if the joy of flight brought on the power to fly, and righteous fury brought out the starbolts, what would hatred and anger bring out? Robin didn't want to find out.  
  
"Hey, are we gonna get any food?" Called Beastboy, as his stomach erupted into loud growls again. Raven shook her head disapprovingly, and then straightened her back, as she continued her inaudible chanting to focus her emotions and various energies. She hovered in the air, her cape hanging below her. Beastboy changed into various animals to amuse himself, finally settling on a green camel to try and stave the hunger he felt. Starfire was sitting calmly on the floor, though her face showed her hopelessness. She played with her hands, and twiddled her thumbs to pass the annoying amount of time the Titans possessed in their cages of yellow spheres. Robin glanced at Starfire, but looked away when the human known as 'Mechanic' entered the stony room below the dilapidated sports arena that Atlas used to fight his opponents who actually beat him online. Needless to say, it could use some new decorations. The human opened a small hole in the cage of Raven first, and inserted a tray of pellets, which the Titans all looked at with disgust, those who were looking at the food. Beastboy trumpeted his rage in his normal form.  
  
"What the heck is that?" he asked, pointing at Raven's tray.  
  
"That's food. You eat it." Mechanic said, looking at Beastboy in disgust, while the green changeling looked readily in turn at the human.  
  
"You should be helping us." Robin said. "You're human too. Why does Atlas treat you like garbage?" The two looked at the doorway as Atlas walked in, and settled in his chair. He turned the chair around so that he was viewing his prizes, not the Internet screen.  
  
"Mechanic!" barked the robot.  
  
"Yes, Master?" questioned the mechanic in his New York drawl.  
  
"Leave us." He said in a cold, commanding voice. Beastboy sniggered quietly.  
  
"Ooh. Frostbite!"  
  
The yellow and red Atlas ignored Beastboy's attempts at humor in such a situation, and Robin focused on the one who held them captive.  
  
"What do you want from us?" he asked in an authoritative voice.  
  
"Ah, so the leader speaks," Atlas said as Robin scowled. "You do not send your human to do battle with me today? Well, battles can be forged in different ways." He said chillingly, staring at the green eyed Tamaranian, who gave look for look from Atlas as she sat on the floor. His eyes narrowed, and he reached a metallic hand out.  
  
"Round two, up!" yelled a loud, raucous voice. All four beings in the room stared up at the newly emerged Cyborg, who had blown a hole in the ceiling. He stood, shadowed in the fading light, as the arena lights automatically switched on. "It's payback time you chunk of scrap."  
  
Thank you for the wonderful, encouraging reviews. You know who you are. I do not own anything in this story except for the plot. The characters belong to their own respected owners. 


	3. Chapter 3

Treasures and Trophies  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Cyborg glanced at his friends, and noticed the complete robot's proximity to Starfire. He scowled immediately, and swung his fist crashing into the robot's head. Atlas growled slightly, and raised his mechanical arms. Then the robot took off running from the room, moving at break-neck speed through the door-way and down the hall. He laughed crazily as he saw Cyborg follow him.  
  
"Yes! Come to Atlas."  
  
The two mechanical beings ran through the maze of underground tunnels quickly and furiously, one gaining on the other as soon as the other robotic forms speed through the labyrinth. Elsewhere, five people viewed their situation in different lights.  
  
"Dude." Beastboy said, his green eyes wide, "He ran away!" Robin glanced at his friend, wishing he could share the green teenager's views.  
  
"You respect Atlas, but he doesn't respect you." Robin said to the human mechanic. "Why else would he have run and not taken you out of possible danger? Think about it." He said, pausing for breath. "You're the only one who can help him. He doesn't know how to work his own equipment." The others stayed thankfully silent, watching Robin enact his plan towards their some-what foe. Just as the human's hand reached out to help the trapped titans, a large crash erupted, hurtling atlas through the wall and at the feet of the teen titans. He did not move.  
  
"Boo-ya!" proclaimed a happy Cyborg, as he sauntered in to see his comrades. "Hey guys." He said nonchalantly, grinning from ear to ear. Starfire giggled loudly before erupting into cheers for Cyborg and his colossal strength, as Raven smiled wanly, and Beastboy cawed excitedly in his Raven form.  
  
Robin didn't move, but stared at Atlas. A few seconds too late, he cried out;  
  
"Cyborg!"  
  
The half-human, half robot turned too late, to see the gigantic robot smash into his side, sending him hurling through the air with an anguished yell. The other titans gasped, willing their friend to get up, to save them. Unbeknownst to the others, Starfire's eyes began to glow with an emerald aura. Raven stared at the defeat of Cyborg, before glancing around her. A green light, very similar to-  
  
"Uh oh."  
  
Starfire's cage was filled with the green light that poured from her eyes as she screamed. Emerald lightning coursed over her body, and she twitched in slight pain as raw energy streamed from her unseeing orbs. Her red hair was thrown away from her face, and her knees fell to the floor as she raised her face upwards, her palms down on the yellow bubble that enclosed around her.  
  
"Starfire!" Robin yelled, and Raven winced at the large amount of power exerting itself from Starfire, as Beastboy watched in amazement. Abruptly, her green power enveloped the circle, creating a sickly greenish yellow cage for the Tamaranian. Atlas watched in fury as his victory turned into a slight defeat. He motioned for the Mechanic.  
  
"Release her." The human slave for the robot nodded slightly, his face ashen. He lowered a lever, and released the girl, who's form was floating, just as a wave of green came from her disappearing bubble. It smashed into the robot, sending him flying backwards, and sending the human to a wall with great force. Robin stared at his friend's floating form, then looked at Raven and Beastboy, silently asking,  
  
'What the heck happened?'  
  
The only response he received was nods and shrugs. Robin noticed that an odd whirring sound was coming from the crater in the wall that was Cyborg, and hoped that his friend would get to Starfire's prone body before the shocked Atlas could.  
  
A.N: sorry about the delay guys, I didn't know I had such support on my side, and you all really made my day when I read all those comments that had popped up. Thank you so much for this and I promise I will continue with all my might to finish this story. Probably two very long chapters and I'll be done. The encouragement helps, along with suggestions for the plot. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four  
  
Robin watched his friend's body glow a disconcerting green, which was steadily pulsating to Starfire's heartbeat. Beastboy sat in his yellow orb of a prison and bit his nails in anxiety over his fate, over Starfire's fate and the rest of the team.  
  
'Even if I do fool around and joke a lot, they mean a lot to me,' he thought in his straightforward way. Raven's face only showed the merest hint of worry, knowing that if she let her emotions loose, her powers, her curse, would eventually destroy her and her friends. So she sat and breathed evenly, trying to distill the uneasiness in her heart. 'I have to be strong for the others.'  
  
Inside, Robin was a spiral of emotions.  
  
His thoughts focussed on one memory, a few days before, when Starfire had come to him with several questions from an earthly magazine she had been reading. From an alien culture that celebrated emotion, the lost teenager from Tamaran had not comprehended the earthly way of females who strive for physical perfection.  
  
"Robin what is 'perfection'?" she had asked, her eyes wide and green, puzzled over the foreign word. Robin had just stared at her appraisingly, thinking on what he should tell her. Finally, he responded to her query with; "Perfection means you're striving to be good at something." Starfire mused over this while Robin casually finished watching his television program.  
  
Finally, she thought aloud, "Then I must start perfection in my training as soon as possible!" with a happy smile on her naive face, she stood, before a surprised robin pulled her back down to the couch, grabbing her hands so the red head wouldn't move away.  
  
"Star, you don't need to do that. Perfection is something only diehards shoot for. It's good to be skilled at something, but there's always someone better." Starfire had blushed as red as her hair, and robin's prolonged hold on her hands lessened. Robin looked at her warmly and finished. "Besides Star, you're perfect to all of us, we wouldn't want you to change." Starfire had hugged him then and exclaimed with joy.  
  
Now there was no joy, just a sad ache as Starfire's green power slowly faded into her, and Cyborg groaned. The metallic teenager stood with his hand rubbing his aching head. He checked his scanners and let out a sigh. During the game of deadly 'tag', he had been operating at only 84% of his abilities. He then took in his surroundings, and watched as Starfire's floating form was gently lowered to the ground. He came to his battle senses after noticing Atlas's moving body and ran over to where the Teen Titans, or what was left of them, who were clamoring for help from their friend.  
  
Looking in confusion at the odd buttons, the teen grew frustrated until he finally simply shattered the console. Instantly, the shields dropped, their energy out-puts shot.  
  
Atlas glared at Cyborg, who stood in front of Robin, Raven and Beastboy. Then, a wicked grin spilt the machine's face as he charged forward. Expecting an assault, Cyborg leaped back, closer to his friends, only to stop in terror when the yellow plated robot picked up a comatose Starfire.  
  
"To give you an added incentive to find Atlas, humans." He sneered before flinging the unconscious alien over his shoulder and disappearing through the floor.  
  
He had gauged them all accurately. Somehow, the Titans all thought, it is not going to be the same. Going back to the tower was not an option for the group, as it was now, the deafening silence was oppressive enough. The tower's blank emptiness was not as great as the teen titan's own, each one was dealing with conflicting emotions.  
  
"Starfire..." whispered Beastboy, staring with wide, saddened eyes where his friend used to be. He knew that she had done the power show at danger to herself. The green changeling admired stars ingenious plan. By threatening to destroy her body with her own power, she had earned the, time, and their own eventual escape. Starfire had gauged Atlas's interest in her life accurately, and had now paid the price. The jokester sighed quietly.  
  
Raven's stoic face was the only calm thing on the scene. Years of meditation now came in good use as she grappled with her own feelings. Nevertheless, the chair that atlas had watched his captives from was engulfed in a black glow ad began to melt. Beastboy and Cyborg knew not to comment.  
  
Robin's distorted face was darkened with anger and fear. He clutched his fists tightly and grappled with himself. He turned on Cyborg, his mask hiding most of his face.  
  
"Why didn't you stop him?! You could have reached her in time!" he yelled, trying to get his fueling anger out of his system in time, before he did something he would regret. Hope seemed to have vanished among the teenagers, and the one could almost taste the scent of fear on the air.  
  
Cyborg had been staring at the floor, his arms and legs aching and his head pounding. But the worst thing about the extent of his injuries was emotional.  
  
'I failed her, I failed them, I failed her...'  
  
It was an endless loop in his mind, and the voice of defeat nearly drowned out robin's accusing voice. His sad eyes turned up to robin's face, masked with fury.  
  
"I know." He sad quietly, his former spirit gone in the tragic loss of his teammate.  
  
"Look, is anyone here actually planning to get their butts in gear and find Starfire?" demanded Beastboy; he had had enough. "You're fighting the wrong person Robin! Atlas wants us to find him! Cyborg tried, and look what happened, we're free! Dude, we're out of the yellow bubbles!" he was going to continue, but was stopped by a loud, male, human groan.  
  
The Titans turned as one towards the voice, everyone in a battle stance as black orbs surrounded Raven's hands, an extendable staff appeared in Robin's hands and one of Cyborg's hands had become a cannon. Some of his fight had returned to his eyes, but he moved sluggishly. A green tiger growled in warning, before sniffing the air cautiously, then padding forward on sinuous legs to drag the human known as mechanic away from a pile of kegs labeled OIL. Beastboy changed back to his own form slowly, and crouched on the ground, his limber body used to the movement and stillness that was needed. Robin stepped forward, his face composed, and knelt near the man who had captured them, who was slowly pulling himself out of his own unconscious state. Mechanic lifted a shaky hand to his head, feeling his skull for open wounds. His dull eyes brightened considerably, and he scowled at robin when his form came into his curious sight.  
  
"What'd you do with Atlas?" demanded the man. The group of teens stared at him solemnly.  
  
"He abandoned you, to kidnap one of our friends," Robin said. The man paled and shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah right. Atlas is the best there is, and I help him. He wouldn't forget that just to pick up some dumb kid." Robin swept his hand behind him at the mechanics words.  
  
"Do you see Atlas? Do you see our friend? You should face up to it. Atlas doesn't respect you, at all. You're human, like us. You should be on our side, not his. One day he'll forget that you help him, and only see the human in you. Maybe that day was today, because I think we all see a human in front of us." Robin demanded in a strong voice, hope coming back to him n the form of the mechanic.  
  
'He might be the key to getting Starfire back.'  
  
Cyborg and the others were no longer in attack mode, and after listening to the conversation were still wary. Mechanic was sitting silently, contemplating all that had been said to him, present and past. He remembered the contempt he had faced from atlas, the barbs and insults, and the understanding in the little kid's words.  
  
Finally the man stood, and pressed a button on his hover pack so that he was floating above the ground, defying the master of the Earth-gravity. He started to fly up, and noticed that no one was following him. He looked back to the range of emotions on the kid's faces, from hope to stoic to calm to wary, and then back to Robin's hopeful expression.  
  
"Well?" he asked, a slow smile spreading over his face. "Aren't you coming?"  
  
"Where to?" asked Beastboy, slow as always.  
  
"We're gonna rescue your friend of course!" mechanic said, ad flew out of the hole in the ceiling.  
  
The titans all looked at each other briefly in surprise before racing after the startling human  
  
I'm terribly sorry for any and all mistakes. I have no beta reader, and I just churned this chapter between physical education and algebra and art. Please enjoy the story and supply feedback for this author! I love all of my reviewers!  
  
I own nothing in this story except for the plot. 


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